Nutplate riveting attachment device

ABSTRACT

An upstanding housing serves as a lower pressure foot and contains a ram member having a spring loaded pilot pin extending exteriorly above the top of the housing. The top has a cavity configured to receive the nut of a nutplate when the pin is received in a hole thereof. An upper pressure foot has a locator projection in alignment with said cavity and receivable in an aperture in a workpiece for indexing the same preparatory to clamping of the pressure feet. Thus, the nut and hole are properly aligned for drilling of the workpiece and the insertion and squeezing of a rivet. The pilot pin is retractable and becomes coterminal with the ram member for providing a rivet squeezing anvil.

[4 Apr. 9, 1974 NUTPLATE RIVETING ATTACHMENT DEVICE [75] Inventor: Lloyd N. Wheeler, Imperial Beach,

Calif.

[73] Assignee: Rohr Industries, Inc., Chula Vista,

Calif.

[22] Filed: Jan. 10, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 322,339

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 60,244, Aug. 3, 1970,

abandoned.

52 us. Cl. 29/243.54, 29/464 [51] Int. Cl B23p 11/00 [58] Field of Search 29/464, 243.53, 243.54

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,405,779 8/l946 Davis 29/243.53

3/1972 Shaffer, Jr. 29/243.53 7/1970 Gray 29/241553 X Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Examiner-J. W. Davie [57] ABSTRACT An upstanding housing serves as a lower pressure foot and contains a ram member having a spring loaded pilot pin extending exteriorly above the top of the housing. The top has a cavity configured to receive the nut of a nutplate when the pin is received in a hole thereof. An upper pressure foot has a locator projection in alignment with said cavity and receivable in an aperture in a workpiece for indexing the same preparatory to clamping of the pressure feet. Thus, the nut and hole are properly aligned for drilling of the workpiece and the insertion and squeezing of a rivet. The pilot pin is retractable and becomes coterminal with the ram member for providing a rivet squeezing anvil.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 'PMENTEDAPR 9 I974 SHEEI 1 OF 2' FIG. 4

INVENTOR. LLOYD N. WHEFLER 7 ATTORNEY Wyn PATENTEBAPR E 9 1974 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG3 a g wwm i .W fi

INVENTOR. LLOYD N. WHEELER ATTORNEY FIGQ NUTPLATE RIVETING ATTACHMENT DEVICE This is a continuation, division, of application Ser. No. 60,244, filed 08/03/70, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates generally to drilling and riveting machines and more particularly to an attachment device therefor which indexes a nutplate and workpiece for riveting in proper alignment.

The present application is related to the copending application of Gerrett W. Gregory for NUTPLATE RIVETING DEVICE AND METHOD, Ser. No. 47,541, filed June 18, 1970, now US. Pat. No. 3,729,801, and is directed to improvements in the device and method of that Gregory application. The present application is also related to the copending application of Donald S. Gross for NUTPLATE RIVETING DEVICE AND METHOD, Serial No. 60,247, filed Aug. 3, 1970, now US. Pat. No. 3,758,933, and is also directed to improvements in the device and method of that Gross application. I a

The devices and methods of the aforesaid copending patent applications are highlyeffective in reducing the time and costs of drilling the workpiece and riveting the nutplate thereto. However, considerable time and effort on the part of the operator are involved in positioning the nutplate in relation to the workpiece in preparation for the drilling and riveting.

The desirability of minimizing the time and effort spent bythe operator in the interests of cost reduction,

The present invention therefore contemplates and is concerned with drilling and riveting machines and has as its primary purpose the provision of a nutplate riveting attachment device and method which rivets a nutplate to a workpiece in a rapid and reliable manner resulting in quality workmanship with an attendant saving of time and reduction in costs. Another object is to provide a device which indexes the nutplate and workpiece in proper relation for drilling and riveting. A further object is to provide a device which requires only that a nutplate be dropped thereon for indexing the same. Still another object is to provide a device by which the nut of the nutplate is finally indexed into axial alignment with an aperture in a workpiece. A still further object is to provide a device operative to index a nutplate and squeeze a rivet inserted therein.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the provision of a pair of aligned pressure feet, each having indexing means for locating a nutplate and an apertured workpiece in proper relation to each other. One pressure foot has a pilot projection receivable in an aperture in the workpiece. The other pressure foot has a pressure applying surface which is hollowed out to provide a cavity configured to receive the nut of a nutplate. Projecting from the surface is a spring loaded pilot pin receivable in a hole in the nutplate. When the pressure feet are brought together, the pilot pin which engages the workpiece during the upward movement of lower pressure foot, retracts untilthe nutplate is coterminal with the workpiece. After drilling a perforation in line with thepilot pin, a rivet is inserted causing further retraction. Eventually, the pilot pin becomes coterminal with a surrounding member and therewith forms a rivet squeezing anvil.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a device embodying the principles of the present invention illustrating its relation to a drilling and riveting machine, fragmentarily shown, and to a nutplate and a workpiece.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lower pressure foot.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lower pressure foot.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of a modified form of upper pressure foot.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the modified upper pressure foot viewed from line 3-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a nutplate riveting device embodying the principles of the present invention and illustrated in relation to a drilling and riveting machine M, fragmentarily shown. The machine can be of any suitable type, such as the Drivmatic models, manufactured by General- Electro-Mechanical Corporation of Buffalo, New York. Such a machine has a pressure foot U defining a work station with which a drill D and rivet transfer T are alignable. The rivet transfer has the usual spring loaded gripping fingers G, for gripping a rivet R, and a vertically movable anvil A for engaging the head of the rivet for forcing it from the fingers and holding it during squeezing.

The device 10 of the present invention is similar in many respects to the device described in the aforementioned copending applications of Gregory and Gross and is mounted on a vertically movable portion of the machine M in vertical alignment with the pressure foot U. As will later be made more clear, the defice is adapted to index a nutplate NP, and the pressure foot U is adapted to index a workpiece W, after which they are brought together and clamped for drilling the workpiece and riveting the nutplate thereto.

The device 10 of the present invention includes a base 12 having apertures 14 for attaching screws or bolts 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the base has a bore 18 with which an upstanding housing 20 having a bore 22 is axially aligned. The housing has a pressure applying surface 24 and a bore 26, the surface cooperating with the upper pressure foot to clamp work therebetween.

Slidably fitted in the bores 18 and 22 is a tubular ram member 28. At its lower end the ram member is provided with an internally threaded sleeve having a flange 32, engageable with the base 12. The sleeve is adapted to be connected to a squeezing ram, not shown, which operates to move the ram member 28 from the initial retracted position depicted by the dashed lines 32' to the full line position shown in which the flange 32 is bottomed on the base 12. fixed to the upper end of the ram members is a hollow cap 34 from which an elongated sleeve 36 extends into bore 26.

At the base of the sleeve 36 is an annular cavity 38 whichis in communication with air passageways 40 and 42 formed in the housing 20 and base 12, FIGS. 2 and 3. The passageway 43 connects with an air delivery line 46, fragmentarily disclosed in FIG. 1.

Slidably fitted within the ram member 28 is a plunger 48 having an elongated pilot pin 50 which extends through the sleeve 36. The lower end of the plunger or piston 48 is hollow and receives the upper end of a coil spring 52 which reacts against a plug 54 held in place by set screws 56 and 58.

The upper end of the housing 20 is hollowed out to provide a cavity 60 configured to receive a nut N on the nutplate NP, as shown in FIG. 3. The nutplate includes a plate P having holes H, the pilot pin 50 being engaged in one of the holes. With the pin so engaged and the nut nested in the cavity, the nutplate is indexed on the housing which serves as a lower pressure foot.

Returning to FIG. 1, depending from the upper pressure foot U is a pilot projection 70 adapted to be received in an aperture, not shown, in the workpiece W for indexing the same.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a modified form of pressure foot U which is recessed for receiving an angle bracket 64 to which a pilot projection 70 is fixed, the bracket being detachably secured by a screw 66. Such an arrangement provides for easy changing of the pilot projections.

OPERATION It is believed that the operation of the device of the present invention is clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. Referring to FIG. 1, the nutplate NP is indexed on the housing by engaging the pilot pin 50 in a hole 1-! and nesting the nut N in the cavity 60. The workpiece W is indexed on the upper pressure foot U by engaging the pilot projection 70 in an aperture in the workpiece. The machine M is then operated to move the housing up and clamp the nutplate against the workpiece.

The drill D descends and perforates the workpiece, pressurized air from the annular cavity 38 blowing away any drill cuttings or dirt. After the drill ascends, the fingers G align a rivet with the perforation and hole and insert the rivet therein, causing retraction of the pilot pin. The anvil A holds the rivet. The squeezing ram forces the ram member 28 upwardly from its initial retracted position depicted by the dashed lines 32 in FIG. 2 until the upper end of the sleeve 36 becomes coterminal with the pilot pin to form therewith an anvil which squeezes the rivet. The machine is then returned to starting position.

To rivet the other end of the nutplate, the workpiece and nutplate are removed and manipulated to insert the pilot pin 50 in the free hole and nest the nut N in the cavity 60. The machine is then operated to clamp, drill and rivet.

There has thus been provided a nutplate riveting device and method which operates to rivet a nutplate to a workpiece in a rapid and reliable manner with quality workmanship and a resultant reduction in the number of rejects, time, labor and costs.

Although the present invention has been herein shown and described in considerable detail in what is believed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that many variations thereof are possible and that the present invention is not to be limited to such details but is to be considered in its broadest aspects and accorded the full scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by letters Patent is:

l. A nutplate riveting attachment device comprising: a first and second pressure foot, said first pressure foot configured to receive a nutplate and dispose the same in predetermined relation to said second pressure foot and includes a pressure applying surface hollowed out to provide a cavity for receiving the nut of the nutplate and a pilot pin projects from said surface receivable in a hole in the nutplate for axially aligning the same with a work station said pilot pin is engageable with said work piece and retracts when the workpiece is perforated by a drill axially aligned with the pin, said second pressure foot includes indexing means operative to index an apertured workpiece and a projection receivable in an aperture in said workpiece.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said pin is resiliently mounted and retractable to permit drilling of the workpiece in line therewith and insertion of a rivet in the perforation and hole.

3. The device of claim 1 including means for removably securing the indexing means to said second presreceivable into an aperture in the workpiece.

* t i i k 

1. A nutplate riveting attachment device comprising: a first and second pressure foot, said first pressure foot configured to receive a nutplate and dispose the same in predetermined relation to said second pressure foot and includes a pressure applying surface hollowed out to provide a cavity for receiving the nut of the nutplate and a pilot pin projects from said surface receivable in a hole in the nutplate for axially aligning the same with a work station said pilot pin is engageable with said work piece and retracts when the workpiece is perforated by a drill axially aligned with the pin, said second pressure foot includes indexing means operative to index an apertured workpiece and a projection receivable in an aperture in said workpiece.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said pin is resiliently mounted and retractable to permit drilling of the workpiece in line therewith and insertion of a rivet in the perforation and hole.
 3. The device of claim 1 including means for removably securing the indexing means to Said second pressure foot, said indexing means is a plate attachable to said second pressure foot, said plate has a projection receivable into an aperture in the workpiece. 